1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:03,080 Speaker 1: Ruthie's Table four is now on YouTube, where you can 2 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:06,000 Speaker 1: watch past episodes of the podcast in full. 3 00:00:07,920 --> 00:00:11,639 Speaker 2: I did hear President Obama once say that being mayor 4 00:00:11,720 --> 00:00:14,600 Speaker 2: is the second hardest job in politics, next to being 5 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:16,720 Speaker 2: president of the United States. I think it's the best job 6 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:19,600 Speaker 2: because here you get to walk the streets. You actually 7 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:23,840 Speaker 2: get to see your policies in action, whether they're working 8 00:00:24,079 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 2: or whether they're not working. You get a poll every day. 9 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:29,640 Speaker 2: You know how people are feeling about you and how 10 00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:32,159 Speaker 2: they're feeling about the city. We're the ones on the ground. 11 00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:34,720 Speaker 2: I mean, I talked to mayors across the state and 12 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 2: across the country. The action is happening in our cities, 13 00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:38,839 Speaker 2: and I love it. 14 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:45,720 Speaker 1: If you had asked me a few years ago what 15 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:53,159 Speaker 1: makes the city great, I would have answered concert halls, parks, museums, schools, hospitals, 16 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:57,960 Speaker 1: and public spaces. When COVID forced restaurants, food markets, and 17 00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 1: cafes to close, it became clear that they are as 18 00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:06,120 Speaker 1: essential to a city's success, a third space between the 19 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:10,560 Speaker 1: public and the private. Mayor daniel Leuriy of San Francisco 20 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:15,600 Speaker 1: understands deeply what makes a city succeed. As long as 21 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:18,840 Speaker 1: I've known him over twenty years. He's been a person 22 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:23,880 Speaker 1: with purpose, a vision, and a lifelong commitment to social justice. 23 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:26,399 Speaker 1: When we first met, he had just found a tipping 24 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 1: point community in the Bay Area with a clear mission 25 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:34,000 Speaker 1: to fight poverty. Daniel becoming the mayor of San Francisco 26 00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:37,480 Speaker 1: is deeply moving to me, and I am proud to 27 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:41,600 Speaker 1: be his friend. Yesterday, walking through city Hall, I was 28 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:44,920 Speaker 1: struck by the sense of civic pride, what it means 29 00:01:44,959 --> 00:01:49,480 Speaker 1: to be a citizen. We saw people getting married, paying taxes, 30 00:01:50,040 --> 00:01:54,040 Speaker 1: learning about their city's history. We also saw the team 31 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:58,720 Speaker 1: in his office working with focus and commitment serving the 32 00:01:58,760 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 1: people of San Francisco. 33 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:02,720 Speaker 3: Ruthie, that was beautiful. Thank you. 34 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:05,120 Speaker 2: It's an honor to be with you. It's an honor 35 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:09,000 Speaker 2: to have you here in this majestic building. How beautiful 36 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 2: it is our city hall. 37 00:02:10,760 --> 00:02:13,080 Speaker 1: The city Hall is beautiful. And what struck me again 38 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:16,280 Speaker 1: today was yesterday when I walked in, as I said, 39 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:19,840 Speaker 1: there was all these activities and people. But today, when 40 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:21,760 Speaker 1: I walked in, I thought, you know what, I'm just 41 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 1: walking into the city Hall and saying I'm going to 42 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:27,920 Speaker 1: see the mayor, and there was nobody that stopped me 43 00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:30,600 Speaker 1: and said you can't come in. You know, hello, do 44 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:34,080 Speaker 1: you have an appointment? You know, it was so accessible, 45 00:02:34,320 --> 00:02:36,400 Speaker 1: so open, you know, it's so clear. 46 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:40,280 Speaker 2: Come in and you see this dome. And actually some 47 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:42,480 Speaker 2: people came in today and they said, this has got 48 00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 2: to be the most beautiful capital in the country, and 49 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:50,280 Speaker 2: I said, it is the world. Well, I'll take your 50 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:53,520 Speaker 2: to work for it. And it's it is an honor 51 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 2: and a privilege to come to work every day and 52 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:58,120 Speaker 2: I get joy. There's so many people that get. 53 00:02:58,000 --> 00:02:59,799 Speaker 1: Married here and I love that. 54 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:02,320 Speaker 2: So if you're if you're even thinking about being in 55 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:03,640 Speaker 2: a bad mood you walk. 56 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:04,799 Speaker 1: In, I thought you're gonna say, if you ever think 57 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:07,520 Speaker 1: about being married, this is this was where I'm getting married. 58 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:09,840 Speaker 2: You know, I was born and raised here, So to 59 00:03:09,919 --> 00:03:15,320 Speaker 2: be the mayor of your hometown is a wild, thrilling, 60 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:20,680 Speaker 2: joyful experience. It's hard, but I love I love I 61 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 2: love the job. I love my job. I don't think 62 00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:26,640 Speaker 2: about it as work. You know, you know that old 63 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:29,800 Speaker 2: saying that you'll never work a day in your life 64 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:30,359 Speaker 2: if you love. 65 00:03:30,240 --> 00:03:31,720 Speaker 3: Your so we never. 66 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:34,200 Speaker 1: I was told that was Steve Jobs, but then I 67 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:36,800 Speaker 1: was told it was an old Chinese proverb one of 68 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:37,280 Speaker 1: them too. 69 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 3: We can see the credit. 70 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 1: Let's give it to Steve Jobs. We are at San Francisco. 71 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 1: So the quote is if you have a job you love, 72 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:45,960 Speaker 1: you'll never have to work. It can work a day, 73 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:48,520 Speaker 1: and you're like, yeah, something like that, which is true. 74 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:49,400 Speaker 3: That's how I feel. 75 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:53,120 Speaker 2: But people when they think of San Francisco, they they 76 00:03:53,160 --> 00:03:55,600 Speaker 2: think about coming to get married here, coming for vacation, 77 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:59,080 Speaker 2: coming uh to go on their honeymoon, and they just 78 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:01,600 Speaker 2: they they they're rooting for us. And I think the 79 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:05,200 Speaker 2: last few years there was this oh, oh, it's such 80 00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 2: it's so bad. 81 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 3: What happened? Are you safe there? 82 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:11,240 Speaker 2: And I think what we've proven is that the people 83 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 2: that bet against our city it was a bad bet. 84 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:16,200 Speaker 2: Not only are we on the rise, but you know, 85 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:19,919 Speaker 2: we're getting our hope. We're getting that optimism back. A 86 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:24,240 Speaker 2: year ago, Ruthie, before we took off, as twenty five 87 00:04:24,279 --> 00:04:27,080 Speaker 2: percent of San Franciscan's I thought we were heading in 88 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:30,520 Speaker 2: the right direction. Today that number is sixty two percent 89 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:33,040 Speaker 2: think we're hanging in the right direction. And I think 90 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:37,240 Speaker 2: that's a statement of like, Okay, we got we got 91 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:40,400 Speaker 2: our shoulders up. We can feel proud of our city again. 92 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:43,000 Speaker 2: We have the eyes of the world. We have not 93 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:46,479 Speaker 2: only this incredible podcast here in San Francisco, but we 94 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:50,000 Speaker 2: got Super Bowl sixty coming here. We have World Cup, 95 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:54,159 Speaker 2: we have six matches coming to San Francisco Bay Area, 96 00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:58,120 Speaker 2: and so there's so much excitement and energy in our 97 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:01,440 Speaker 2: city right now, and I hope all your listeners will 98 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 2: come visit. 99 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 1: Well, it's a very international city that represents other countries. 100 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:08,840 Speaker 1: So you have consults. How many consults do I think? 101 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:10,599 Speaker 2: I think it's seventy or eighty. 102 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:11,920 Speaker 3: We have so many. 103 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:15,360 Speaker 2: Our Chief of Protocol, Penny Culture, does an incredible job 104 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 2: and they all want to be in San Francisco. And 105 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 2: we're always about building bridges and bringing citizens of the 106 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:26,280 Speaker 2: world from from everywhere here to San Francisco, but welcoming 107 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:27,000 Speaker 2: them here. 108 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 3: It is amazing. 109 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 2: How many flag raisings tell me, you know, you you 110 00:05:32,400 --> 00:05:35,320 Speaker 2: come in, it's somebody, it's a country's national day, and 111 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:37,840 Speaker 2: we go out to the Mayor's balcony and we raise 112 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:41,520 Speaker 2: their flag and we celebrate with their food and yeah, 113 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 2: and and we sing their national anthem. And it's been 114 00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:47,680 Speaker 2: it's been a great learning experience for me. 115 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:49,320 Speaker 3: And our office. 116 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:53,280 Speaker 2: Penny is doing a remarkable job, but everybody from all 117 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:56,279 Speaker 2: over the world wants to put down a flag here 118 00:05:56,279 --> 00:05:59,159 Speaker 2: in San Francisco, and not earlier that we the home 119 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:04,280 Speaker 2: of AI, but where the You know, our arts, our 120 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:09,000 Speaker 2: culture are the envy of the world, and we've been 121 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:10,920 Speaker 2: able to celebrate that again this past year. 122 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:15,039 Speaker 1: They say very often, I'm a phrase again, politicians campaign 123 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:18,080 Speaker 1: and poetry and rule and prose. But it seems to 124 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:21,480 Speaker 1: me that you did both. You both campaigned in prose 125 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:24,760 Speaker 1: and poetry, and you're ruling in poetry and pose because 126 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:27,640 Speaker 1: it's what you're The way you're talking is very visionary, 127 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:29,359 Speaker 1: but it's also very rigorous. 128 00:06:29,720 --> 00:06:32,480 Speaker 2: What I believe city government should be in the business 129 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:37,479 Speaker 2: of are really some basics, and that is public safety, 130 00:06:37,680 --> 00:06:41,320 Speaker 2: like making people feel safe, making our restaurant tours, our chefs, 131 00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:45,840 Speaker 2: our entrepreneurs feel safe running their small business or their restaurant. 132 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:49,240 Speaker 2: You know, when I was campaigning, and I did campaign 133 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:50,840 Speaker 2: for a year and a half, it was no one 134 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:53,440 Speaker 2: knew who I was. There were not a lot of 135 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:55,839 Speaker 2: people that gave us a shot at winning. But I 136 00:06:55,960 --> 00:06:58,880 Speaker 2: just walked the streets, I knocked on doors, I went 137 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:02,279 Speaker 2: to a bunch of restaurants, and people were scared to 138 00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:05,520 Speaker 2: keep their store open past eight thirty nine o'clock because 139 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:08,200 Speaker 2: their employees would have to walk home and they were 140 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 2: scared about different things. And you know what we have said, 141 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:16,800 Speaker 2: is nothing else matters if we can't have our residents, 142 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:20,480 Speaker 2: our tourists, our visitors, our small business owners feel safe 143 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:23,840 Speaker 2: and crime this year or twenty twenty five was down 144 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:27,520 Speaker 2: thirty percent, and we're making strides and we're coming back, 145 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:31,000 Speaker 2: and then hey, how does city hall work for our 146 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:34,680 Speaker 2: small businesses? How do we help restaurants get open more quickly? 147 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:36,840 Speaker 2: How do we get them through the permitting process that 148 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 2: we have made so onerous in this city. It's almost 149 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:43,080 Speaker 2: like if you went to a restaurant tour a couple 150 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:44,960 Speaker 2: of years ago and you asked them what their view 151 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:48,000 Speaker 2: of city Hall, they'd be like, Oh, don't get me 152 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:51,640 Speaker 2: started now. I think if you go and you can 153 00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:53,880 Speaker 2: take your cameras and you can walk, and you can 154 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:56,840 Speaker 2: say what's the vibe, they say, Oh, we have a 155 00:07:56,880 --> 00:07:59,240 Speaker 2: partner in the city Hall again, and you can and 156 00:07:59,280 --> 00:07:59,960 Speaker 2: he can do it quick. 157 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:04,280 Speaker 1: I was reading about happiness and how they measure countries 158 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:06,760 Speaker 1: and happiness. I saw this and one of the reasons 159 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:09,160 Speaker 1: that people are happy in a country when they looked 160 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 1: at the happiness, GDP was equivalent. It's trust and it's 161 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:18,480 Speaker 1: interesting that you will trust your door to possibly be unlocked, 162 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:22,400 Speaker 1: you will trust your house to be safe, you will 163 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:25,120 Speaker 1: trust your children to walk to school, but you will 164 00:08:25,120 --> 00:08:28,560 Speaker 1: also trust your government. And I felt yesterday coming here 165 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:30,840 Speaker 1: that there was a spirit. I mean, just as I 166 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:33,800 Speaker 1: say again the ability that we were able to walk in, 167 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:36,760 Speaker 1: there was a trust, you know, and it was you know, 168 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:38,800 Speaker 1: come on in, which I think is very much the. 169 00:08:38,760 --> 00:08:42,400 Speaker 2: Spirit is back. It's alive and well in our city. 170 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:47,200 Speaker 2: I feel like that hope, that optimism is back. I 171 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:49,680 Speaker 2: mean you see it in the number of people starting 172 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:53,400 Speaker 2: new restaurants, you see it in the diversity of our 173 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:58,040 Speaker 2: community and in our city again, and it's this we're 174 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 2: the city that knows how we've always been that and 175 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 2: now we're back and we're we're moving in the right direction. 176 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:07,840 Speaker 1: When you remember being a child here, because there is 177 00:09:08,120 --> 00:09:10,160 Speaker 1: a child and you said you started out by saying 178 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:13,720 Speaker 1: you were born here. So does you know your memory 179 00:09:14,120 --> 00:09:19,000 Speaker 1: encompass that feeling of a San Francisco that was different 180 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:20,520 Speaker 1: or do you think it's retained. 181 00:09:20,720 --> 00:09:23,280 Speaker 2: I think we're always changing with the like I think 182 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:26,720 Speaker 2: that's what makes our city so special. But I think 183 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:32,079 Speaker 2: most cities, you grow, you change, you evolve. Anyone that says, oh, 184 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:34,080 Speaker 2: let's let's go back to the way it used to be, 185 00:09:34,280 --> 00:09:38,079 Speaker 2: that's that's that's not that's that's not San Francisco. It's 186 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:41,440 Speaker 2: we are always innovating, We're always cutting edge. When I 187 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:44,080 Speaker 2: think of growing up, I think, you know, I obviously 188 00:09:44,080 --> 00:09:46,200 Speaker 2: I think about my parents. I had not just two 189 00:09:46,559 --> 00:09:47,840 Speaker 2: great parents, but four. 190 00:09:48,840 --> 00:09:51,240 Speaker 1: I know, I know, I know, I know all four. 191 00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:54,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, well there you go. So they I mean just 192 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:59,720 Speaker 2: you know, a kind, decent uh, a committed community. 193 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:01,880 Speaker 3: My did parents. 194 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:04,480 Speaker 2: I remember, you know, I got to my parents got 195 00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:07,880 Speaker 2: divorced when I was two, and I remember going out 196 00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:11,880 Speaker 2: weekly to meals with my dad at a pizza place 197 00:10:11,920 --> 00:10:15,280 Speaker 2: on Clement Street called Georgio's, which is still there, and 198 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:18,199 Speaker 2: then going to the toy Boat, which is still there. 199 00:10:19,440 --> 00:10:23,880 Speaker 2: It's like it's an ice cream shop, candy shop. Our 200 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:27,520 Speaker 2: friend Amanda Michael took it over recently, and it's just 201 00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:30,720 Speaker 2: go get good ice cream, Go get candy, go get 202 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:34,160 Speaker 2: good cookies that she bakes. So I remember, you know, 203 00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 2: I remember our neighborhoods, the restaurants. I remember are the 204 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:40,920 Speaker 2: I have dinner with my dad once a week or 205 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:43,320 Speaker 2: every two weeks of my brother and I and we 206 00:10:43,400 --> 00:10:47,040 Speaker 2: go to a place on Union Union Street called the 207 00:10:47,080 --> 00:10:51,120 Speaker 2: Blue Light Cafe, and I have chicken fajitas every single 208 00:10:51,600 --> 00:10:58,400 Speaker 2: time time. Musician bought skags and his son and I 209 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:03,240 Speaker 2: grew up together. Just Baz is amazing, uh. And he 210 00:11:03,320 --> 00:11:05,800 Speaker 2: owned this Blue Light Cafe and it was we got 211 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:09,200 Speaker 2: We had our table every Wednesday night, my dad and 212 00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:12,000 Speaker 2: my brother and me. So we had a fond memories 213 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:16,599 Speaker 2: of that and Georgio's uh and then yeah, more, I 214 00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:19,680 Speaker 2: think my eating memories are with my stepfather and my 215 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:22,719 Speaker 2: mom are are at home. The neighborhoods of San Francisco 216 00:11:22,760 --> 00:11:25,360 Speaker 2: are what you know. You talk about North Beach and 217 00:11:25,679 --> 00:11:29,120 Speaker 2: going to restaurants there growing up, and that's retained. It's 218 00:11:29,280 --> 00:11:32,160 Speaker 2: it's it's it's culture and that spirit. If you walk 219 00:11:32,240 --> 00:11:36,000 Speaker 2: down North Beach now some some restaurants are are are new, 220 00:11:36,120 --> 00:11:38,240 Speaker 2: but the vibe is similar. 221 00:11:38,679 --> 00:11:42,280 Speaker 1: It was me, me and and your father brian Us. Know. 222 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:44,600 Speaker 1: Tell me about waking up in the morning and how. 223 00:11:44,679 --> 00:11:45,760 Speaker 3: Well I'll tell you. 224 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:48,439 Speaker 2: Let me. Let's if you want to really have an 225 00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:52,240 Speaker 2: honest story. If we were eating with my stepfather and 226 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:54,920 Speaker 2: my mom and my brother Ari and I, like, we 227 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:57,840 Speaker 2: would have dinner and if we didn't like something, but 228 00:11:57,880 --> 00:11:59,720 Speaker 2: we had our napkins, and we knew how to put 229 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:02,600 Speaker 2: the broccoli into the napkin, and we knew how to 230 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:05,360 Speaker 2: excuse ourselves to go to the bathroom, and it might 231 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:10,360 Speaker 2: it might have gone down the toilet. I remember when 232 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:13,400 Speaker 2: we had President Bush and apparently he didn't like broccoli. 233 00:12:13,559 --> 00:12:15,120 Speaker 2: If you remember that story. 234 00:12:14,880 --> 00:12:17,520 Speaker 1: Yes, I actually he said something, I got. 235 00:12:17,320 --> 00:12:19,800 Speaker 2: The president and I'm not going to eat broccoli younger. 236 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:21,719 Speaker 3: Yeah, I was one of the. 237 00:12:21,679 --> 00:12:24,199 Speaker 2: Things that maybe I identified with as a kid. 238 00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:26,840 Speaker 1: What times, like you're talking about breakfast. 239 00:12:26,600 --> 00:12:29,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean we would have breakfast where we'd talk 240 00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:31,800 Speaker 2: about what was going on in the day, Like if 241 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:34,840 Speaker 2: you talk about my mom and my stepfather engaged in 242 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:38,720 Speaker 2: San Francisco. My dad was a rabbi, and my stepmother 243 00:12:38,840 --> 00:12:41,920 Speaker 2: also engaged and her family always engaged in San Francisco, 244 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:45,079 Speaker 2: So there was no like, oh, you know, there was 245 00:12:45,120 --> 00:12:49,040 Speaker 2: always purpose to our meal times in terms of you know, 246 00:12:49,440 --> 00:12:51,360 Speaker 2: checking conversation, checking in. 247 00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:51,880 Speaker 3: With each other. 248 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:55,439 Speaker 2: I think Becka and I are trying to do that 249 00:12:55,480 --> 00:12:59,840 Speaker 2: with our kids. Fourteen year old daughter eleven year old son. 250 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:07,280 Speaker 2: And now the devices and the iPads have are complicating 251 00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:10,440 Speaker 2: factors and making sure that you get the attention of 252 00:13:10,520 --> 00:13:13,120 Speaker 2: your kids that we didn't have to deal with. I 253 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:15,120 Speaker 2: actually was just talking about this with Becca the other 254 00:13:15,200 --> 00:13:19,160 Speaker 2: day about how do you not only keep your kids 255 00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:22,320 Speaker 2: off those devices, but like how do you carve out 256 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:26,440 Speaker 2: that time? And meals are the time. Like we we 257 00:13:26,559 --> 00:13:30,120 Speaker 2: love going out to, you know, one of our many 258 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:33,760 Speaker 2: great restaurants and the four of us having a meal together. 259 00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:38,360 Speaker 2: That's usually when we're able to really and not only 260 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:40,840 Speaker 2: enjoy the best of what our city has to offer 261 00:13:40,840 --> 00:13:44,320 Speaker 2: in terms of restaurants, but then the four of us 262 00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:48,720 Speaker 2: and we get like real conversations and so actually for us, 263 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:50,880 Speaker 2: sometimes getting out of our house and getting out of 264 00:13:50,920 --> 00:13:52,920 Speaker 2: the comfort zone allows us to connect better. 265 00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:56,559 Speaker 1: Now San Francisco is so diverse and it's restaurants, isn't it. 266 00:13:56,600 --> 00:13:59,600 Speaker 1: I mean it is uniquely so that you can I. 267 00:13:59,559 --> 00:14:01,720 Speaker 2: Mean, I'm going to give you a list that you've 268 00:14:01,760 --> 00:14:06,160 Speaker 2: got to put into your edits or whatnot. But I mean, 269 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:10,320 Speaker 2: we have some of the best Chinese cuisine going I 270 00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:13,960 Speaker 2: think in the world. This new restaurant called Happy Crane 271 00:14:14,280 --> 00:14:16,120 Speaker 2: just opened up I'm. 272 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:17,600 Speaker 3: Taking the list out you can. 273 00:14:19,040 --> 00:14:21,280 Speaker 2: We got this place Jules Pizza. 274 00:14:21,880 --> 00:14:22,560 Speaker 3: It's actually I. 275 00:14:22,480 --> 00:14:25,720 Speaker 2: Think a tartin Alum that just happened. This amazing pizza place. 276 00:14:25,800 --> 00:14:29,920 Speaker 2: We got kay Fico, we got flour and water. All right, 277 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:30,760 Speaker 2: this is a good one. 278 00:14:30,760 --> 00:14:32,320 Speaker 3: You like this one. 279 00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:38,480 Speaker 2: On I'm Jewish, December twenty fourth, You have to go 280 00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:41,640 Speaker 2: out to a Chinese restaurant. Typically, I would go to 281 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:44,520 Speaker 2: a place China live with the family. Have gone there 282 00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:47,920 Speaker 2: with my mom and my brother and I went actually 283 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:50,200 Speaker 2: just over at New Years, but we went to a 284 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:56,240 Speaker 2: place called Fang. And this woman, Kathy Fang, her dad 285 00:14:56,320 --> 00:14:59,080 Speaker 2: started House of Nan King, which is a famous plait 286 00:14:59,560 --> 00:15:02,160 Speaker 2: place kind of on the edge of Chinatown in North Beach. 287 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:07,120 Speaker 2: And she remembers working at the House of Nan King, 288 00:15:07,160 --> 00:15:09,160 Speaker 2: I think when she was seven or eight years old, 289 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:11,360 Speaker 2: and she just loved it working. 290 00:15:13,520 --> 00:15:15,440 Speaker 3: It was a family run and she loved it. 291 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:18,760 Speaker 2: And Kathy told us a story of growing up in 292 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:23,120 Speaker 2: and around her father's restaurant and now she's got her 293 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:25,760 Speaker 2: own restaurant and her father was there too, and it. 294 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:27,480 Speaker 3: Was it was a really cool. 295 00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:30,160 Speaker 1: Family restaurants are great, you know. And I also think 296 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:34,880 Speaker 1: that the atmosphere is like politics. It is a people. 297 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:37,080 Speaker 1: You do it if you love people. You know, there's 298 00:15:37,120 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 1: just no point even if you're just a chef. You know, 299 00:15:39,960 --> 00:15:40,960 Speaker 1: in the kitchen. 300 00:15:40,760 --> 00:15:42,560 Speaker 2: Our chefs, it's got to be good too. 301 00:15:42,920 --> 00:15:45,040 Speaker 1: Of course it does the rigor. You have to have it, 302 00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:48,240 Speaker 1: and it becomes that's the most important. You have to 303 00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:52,880 Speaker 1: have fruit fucredible, but the but the place has to 304 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:54,640 Speaker 1: be a place where you walk in and go like 305 00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:57,720 Speaker 1: a city. You feel safe, like a city, you have trust, 306 00:15:58,200 --> 00:16:00,920 Speaker 1: like a city, you can have transparents see and so 307 00:16:01,080 --> 00:16:03,440 Speaker 1: I think that I always think it's also very theatrical 308 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:07,560 Speaker 1: a restaurant because you know, you have the dynamic between 309 00:16:07,680 --> 00:16:10,320 Speaker 1: the people who were eating there, that their drama. You 310 00:16:10,360 --> 00:16:12,960 Speaker 1: have the drama between the waiter and the people. You 311 00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:15,880 Speaker 1: have the drama between the chef and the waiter. And 312 00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:18,800 Speaker 1: you know, hooray for Alice Walters who said, you know, 313 00:16:18,920 --> 00:16:21,640 Speaker 1: let's not do this drama. But behind closed doors. 314 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:24,880 Speaker 2: You know we're going to Alice. 315 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:28,400 Speaker 1: You know, people always said to Rose and I, how rather, 316 00:16:28,520 --> 00:16:30,800 Speaker 1: you know, wow, you had the first you know, open 317 00:16:30,880 --> 00:16:33,400 Speaker 1: kitchen where people could see you work. And I said, no, 318 00:16:33,480 --> 00:16:36,920 Speaker 1: we don't. You know, Alice Walters really was the woman 319 00:16:37,040 --> 00:16:39,560 Speaker 1: and Wolfgang Puck in California. You know, the two of 320 00:16:39,600 --> 00:16:44,080 Speaker 1: them really started the idea of having not every restaurant. 321 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:45,640 Speaker 1: You don't want to go to every restaurant I have 322 00:16:45,680 --> 00:16:48,320 Speaker 1: an open kitchen. Sometimes it's really nice to just be 323 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:51,080 Speaker 1: in a restaurant where you're quiet and it's formal, and 324 00:16:51,200 --> 00:16:54,600 Speaker 1: you know, it's no noise, but there is a dynamic drama. 325 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:57,400 Speaker 1: I think to having an open kitchen again, like the 326 00:16:57,480 --> 00:16:59,600 Speaker 1: City Hall, you know, come on in. 327 00:16:59,760 --> 00:17:03,360 Speaker 2: I mean a bunch of these restaurants I'm talking have 328 00:17:03,760 --> 00:17:08,480 Speaker 2: some have a mix, like so Katonia, they have a 329 00:17:09,240 --> 00:17:13,400 Speaker 2: like they have some open, some closed. But you walk 330 00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:17,840 Speaker 2: into a place like that, or you walk into another 331 00:17:17,880 --> 00:17:21,760 Speaker 2: restaurant Four Kings. Four Kings it was ranked I think 332 00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:25,200 Speaker 2: the number two restaurant in the country by the New 333 00:17:25,240 --> 00:17:29,000 Speaker 2: York Times this past year. Maybe it was new restaurants 334 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:34,880 Speaker 2: across the country. This place, Frankie Ho Mike Long. Next 335 00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:38,040 Speaker 2: time you're in town, it is it's like you're in 336 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:41,919 Speaker 2: just some little you feel like you're at home. You 337 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:44,919 Speaker 2: feel like you're in a little neighborhood joint. There's a 338 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:47,720 Speaker 2: line that is, you know, there's no reservations. You got 339 00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:49,760 Speaker 2: to wait in line and then they just serve you 340 00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:55,120 Speaker 2: down home Chinese kind of a little la influenced Chinese 341 00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:59,160 Speaker 2: food from their parents and their grandparents, and it's it's 342 00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:02,320 Speaker 2: a magical experience. And that's a you can see what's 343 00:18:02,320 --> 00:18:04,320 Speaker 2: going on in the kitchen. 344 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:07,560 Speaker 1: So I've been in restaurants that I've eaten in and 345 00:18:07,640 --> 00:18:09,280 Speaker 1: thought I had a great meal, and then I've been 346 00:18:09,320 --> 00:18:11,679 Speaker 1: to visit the kitchen and I think maybe not some 347 00:18:11,800 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 1: should stay, but no. That's why I think there is 348 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:18,719 Speaker 1: something very reassuring about seeing it. Certainly keeps us on 349 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:21,680 Speaker 1: our toes knowing that anybody could come in the kitchen. 350 00:18:21,920 --> 00:18:24,919 Speaker 1: And also you can't shout, you can't get you know 351 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:28,119 Speaker 1: that the idea that chefs are stressed, they get angry, 352 00:18:28,119 --> 00:18:30,159 Speaker 1: and they get that way. If you are working in 353 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:32,960 Speaker 1: an open kitchen, you have somebody eating near you, there's 354 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:35,480 Speaker 1: a manners and there's a way of working. 355 00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:55,680 Speaker 4: Was very very. 356 00:18:48,880 --> 00:18:52,159 Speaker 1: Were your grandparents involved in your early. 357 00:18:52,280 --> 00:18:56,800 Speaker 2: My mom's mom her name was Mima, At least to me, 358 00:18:57,359 --> 00:18:58,919 Speaker 2: she was incredible influence. 359 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:03,000 Speaker 1: You call your grandmother mima, Mima, my children call you 360 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:06,240 Speaker 1: one side of the family, grandchildren called me Mima. Okay, 361 00:19:06,280 --> 00:19:08,400 Speaker 1: they called my mother Mima, that's a nice. 362 00:19:08,240 --> 00:19:13,439 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, it's she was. She was amazing. She fled 363 00:19:14,119 --> 00:19:19,520 Speaker 2: Yugoslavia through Italy to upstate New York to Oswego with 364 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:24,679 Speaker 2: Eleanor Roosevelt, helped a thousand Jews flee and come to 365 00:19:25,440 --> 00:19:29,159 Speaker 2: come to New York year with that, you know, forty 366 00:19:29,160 --> 00:19:33,080 Speaker 2: three forty four, at a time where America was not 367 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:38,520 Speaker 2: having any Jews or immigrants coming in. Eleanor Roosevelt really 368 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:42,000 Speaker 2: stood up and said, I'm making this happen. And then 369 00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:44,840 Speaker 2: she made her way down to Maryland, where my mom 370 00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:48,919 Speaker 2: was born, and then and then she was, but she 371 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:52,679 Speaker 2: was out here for she lived. Did she live just 372 00:19:52,720 --> 00:19:55,960 Speaker 2: down on the peninsula, which is about twenty twenty twenty. 373 00:19:55,760 --> 00:19:57,199 Speaker 1: Part of your life, Yes, she was. 374 00:19:57,400 --> 00:19:59,280 Speaker 2: She is a great woman. 375 00:19:59,359 --> 00:20:00,920 Speaker 1: Did she ever she. 376 00:20:00,960 --> 00:20:01,560 Speaker 3: Cooked a lot? 377 00:20:02,280 --> 00:20:05,280 Speaker 2: Yes, she did, and that maybe that's my mom got 378 00:20:05,320 --> 00:20:05,800 Speaker 2: it from her. 379 00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:07,920 Speaker 3: Yeah. 380 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:09,960 Speaker 1: Did she cook food from her youth? 381 00:20:10,080 --> 00:20:10,359 Speaker 3: Yes? 382 00:20:10,520 --> 00:20:16,879 Speaker 2: Yes, my god, it was these meatballs vopcha cheese I 383 00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:20,440 Speaker 2: think is what they were called, chivopcha cheese and like 384 00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:21,200 Speaker 2: like meat. 385 00:20:21,080 --> 00:20:23,600 Speaker 3: Like good. But they were always excellent. 386 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:27,760 Speaker 2: And every time I went to her her place, that 387 00:20:27,800 --> 00:20:29,040 Speaker 2: we ate that she cooked. 388 00:20:29,040 --> 00:20:30,440 Speaker 3: She actually cooked quite a bit. 389 00:20:30,640 --> 00:20:32,639 Speaker 1: Yeah. I would say that quite a lot of the 390 00:20:32,640 --> 00:20:36,520 Speaker 1: people that I interviewed remember their grandmother's food, sometimes more 391 00:20:36,560 --> 00:20:39,600 Speaker 1: than their mothers, because the grandmother, especially if they came 392 00:20:39,640 --> 00:20:42,960 Speaker 1: from immigrant communities, Yes, bring the food with them. Yeah, 393 00:20:43,119 --> 00:20:44,760 Speaker 1: and it's very important. 394 00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:44,840 Speaker 3: To be well. 395 00:20:44,840 --> 00:20:48,560 Speaker 2: And you go sleep over at her at her apartment 396 00:20:48,720 --> 00:20:53,159 Speaker 2: and I had I remember she had a comforter that 397 00:20:53,200 --> 00:20:54,960 Speaker 2: she pulled out of her closet. I slept on her 398 00:20:55,720 --> 00:20:59,080 Speaker 2: on her pull out couch and uh, it was the 399 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:02,520 Speaker 2: coziest little thing. And then we'd always have a good meal. 400 00:21:02,960 --> 00:21:03,840 Speaker 2: I do remember that. 401 00:21:03,880 --> 00:21:04,120 Speaker 3: Well. 402 00:21:04,200 --> 00:21:08,000 Speaker 1: I think grandmother's well, I think it is just a 403 00:21:08,119 --> 00:21:10,600 Speaker 1: very different role. And you want to please your grand child, 404 00:21:10,760 --> 00:21:13,879 Speaker 1: and you're not in a hurry and a little special time. 405 00:21:14,119 --> 00:21:17,400 Speaker 1: And when you say you left this world of San 406 00:21:17,400 --> 00:21:21,600 Speaker 1: Francisco and your you know, the meals around the table 407 00:21:21,640 --> 00:21:25,960 Speaker 1: and the conversations and the breakfast. We went to university and. 408 00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:29,520 Speaker 3: I went to Duke University in North Carolina. 409 00:21:30,240 --> 00:21:31,880 Speaker 1: Was it a culture shop for you too? 410 00:21:32,359 --> 00:21:34,960 Speaker 2: I mean it was different, but I had a really 411 00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:39,600 Speaker 2: good experience there. I spent one summer in Washington, d C. 412 00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:43,920 Speaker 2: I interned for Speaker America Nancy Pelosi had a great time. 413 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:47,359 Speaker 2: And then when you left, I left, I went and worked. 414 00:21:47,359 --> 00:21:50,800 Speaker 2: So I did a summer interning. Then I worked on 415 00:21:50,840 --> 00:21:55,760 Speaker 2: Bill Bradley's presidential campaign in Iowa, and I did field organizing. 416 00:21:55,800 --> 00:21:59,560 Speaker 2: It was the two thousand February two thousand, but I 417 00:21:59,600 --> 00:22:03,960 Speaker 2: got there. I graduated in May of nineteen ninety nine 418 00:22:04,040 --> 00:22:07,160 Speaker 2: and immediately went to Des Moines, Iowa, and was there 419 00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:11,480 Speaker 2: all summer through the February CAUCUSUS Iowa Caucuses. 420 00:22:11,520 --> 00:22:13,760 Speaker 1: And then what did you do learn from that? 421 00:22:15,920 --> 00:22:19,920 Speaker 2: I learned about listening to people. People want to want 422 00:22:19,960 --> 00:22:24,040 Speaker 2: to be heard. And when you are canvassing and going 423 00:22:24,080 --> 00:22:27,360 Speaker 2: door to door and you're a field organizer, you're you're 424 00:22:27,680 --> 00:22:30,080 Speaker 2: not only telling people about your candidate, but you're also 425 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:32,920 Speaker 2: listening to people about what is going. 426 00:22:32,680 --> 00:22:33,640 Speaker 3: On in their lives. 427 00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:39,240 Speaker 2: And that's the most retail of retail politics is the 428 00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:42,000 Speaker 2: Iowa CAUCUSUS SO. Then so I well so Iowa, and 429 00:22:42,040 --> 00:22:43,840 Speaker 2: then I moved to New York City. I out there 430 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:44,560 Speaker 2: for three now. 431 00:22:44,520 --> 00:22:45,120 Speaker 3: Four years ago. 432 00:22:45,200 --> 00:22:46,440 Speaker 1: I remember when you were in New. 433 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:49,360 Speaker 2: York, Yeah, and worked at the Robin Hood Foundation, and 434 00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:54,280 Speaker 2: that idea of getting those who are committed to in 435 00:22:54,320 --> 00:22:56,879 Speaker 2: that case New York City and improving the lives of 436 00:22:57,560 --> 00:23:00,960 Speaker 2: everybody around them. Like that model really resonated for me, 437 00:23:01,400 --> 00:23:03,719 Speaker 2: and I brought I came back home, I went to 438 00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:06,240 Speaker 2: Berkeley for grad school, spent two years at the Public 439 00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:10,200 Speaker 2: Policy School at UC Berkeley, and then with the whole 440 00:23:10,200 --> 00:23:14,359 Speaker 2: intention of starting Tipping Point, which was modeled after Robinhood. 441 00:23:14,359 --> 00:23:16,199 Speaker 2: And I started that in two thousand and five with 442 00:23:17,520 --> 00:23:20,000 Speaker 2: Chris James and Katie Page and Ronnie Lott, and the 443 00:23:20,040 --> 00:23:22,880 Speaker 2: four of us founded it and I ran it for 444 00:23:25,000 --> 00:23:29,400 Speaker 2: fifteen plus years. We've raised over five hundred now maybe 445 00:23:29,400 --> 00:23:32,240 Speaker 2: it's closer to six hundred million dollars to tackle issues 446 00:23:32,280 --> 00:23:34,800 Speaker 2: of poverty in the San Francisco Bay area and got 447 00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:36,640 Speaker 2: involved in the community that way. 448 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:40,080 Speaker 1: When you were involved with Tipping Point, were you aware 449 00:23:40,400 --> 00:23:43,399 Speaker 1: and was concern to you about food poverty? Because there 450 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:46,600 Speaker 1: are poverty of education, there's poverty of love, the poverty 451 00:23:46,640 --> 00:23:49,680 Speaker 1: of guidance. But we also know that in this country 452 00:23:50,240 --> 00:23:53,880 Speaker 1: and in the United Kingdom, you know, we again talking 453 00:23:53,920 --> 00:23:57,200 Speaker 1: about COVID, we found out that, you know, the children 454 00:23:57,359 --> 00:24:00,400 Speaker 1: who didn't have school lunch because they were were going 455 00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:03,320 Speaker 1: to school, that was their meal of the day, you know, 456 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:07,280 Speaker 1: And we know that in New York where I grew up, 457 00:24:07,880 --> 00:24:10,640 Speaker 1: that in the South Bronx and in areas of poverty, 458 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:13,560 Speaker 1: there are no food stores, there are no food deserts. 459 00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:18,200 Speaker 2: So what we have those issues here in San Francisco, 460 00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:21,240 Speaker 2: there's no question we have a We actually had a 461 00:24:22,359 --> 00:24:25,640 Speaker 2: meeting of all the food service providers and those that 462 00:24:25,960 --> 00:24:28,760 Speaker 2: you deliver meals to our seniors, you know, a program 463 00:24:28,800 --> 00:24:31,600 Speaker 2: called meals on wheels here in the United States, and 464 00:24:31,640 --> 00:24:33,960 Speaker 2: they do really good work. In San Francisco, we have 465 00:24:34,359 --> 00:24:40,240 Speaker 2: the Food Bank. We have a really important satellite organizations 466 00:24:40,240 --> 00:24:44,480 Speaker 2: that work in culturally competent ways with different communities making 467 00:24:44,520 --> 00:24:50,200 Speaker 2: sure they get the food too, like right into communities. 468 00:24:51,480 --> 00:24:56,040 Speaker 2: We at tipping point. We actually during a two thousand 469 00:24:56,040 --> 00:24:58,879 Speaker 2: and eight during the financial crisis, we actually started saying, okay, 470 00:24:58,960 --> 00:25:00,480 Speaker 2: food is number one. 471 00:25:00,880 --> 00:25:02,480 Speaker 3: And what we found it. 472 00:25:02,359 --> 00:25:03,200 Speaker 1: Food is number one. 473 00:25:03,320 --> 00:25:07,720 Speaker 2: I mean it's like how housing food, you know, the 474 00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:11,960 Speaker 2: most important things. We actually never funded it because what 475 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:15,000 Speaker 2: happened in two thousand and eight was we found out 476 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:18,360 Speaker 2: that all the private philanthropy, all a lot of government 477 00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:23,359 Speaker 2: they went actually even filled that void. And so what 478 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:25,440 Speaker 2: we found out during that time in two thousand and 479 00:25:25,440 --> 00:25:29,280 Speaker 2: eight was some of the other softer things like mental 480 00:25:29,320 --> 00:25:33,119 Speaker 2: health was the first thing to get cut because people 481 00:25:33,119 --> 00:25:34,960 Speaker 2: would say, oh, we got to get people food, We 482 00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:38,080 Speaker 2: got to get people shelter, which is you know, there's 483 00:25:38,080 --> 00:25:40,840 Speaker 2: no critique on it, but we a tipping point where like, okay, 484 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:45,040 Speaker 2: where's money not going? There was always housing, education, employment, 485 00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:50,720 Speaker 2: and early childhood care. So we focused on really sustainable, 486 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:54,000 Speaker 2: durable ways of moving somebody out of poverty. Now food 487 00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:57,639 Speaker 2: is essential. We do a lot of funding of food 488 00:25:57,640 --> 00:26:01,480 Speaker 2: programs here and the government level. And I will tell 489 00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:04,320 Speaker 2: you something that I'm really proud of our city. This 490 00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:07,960 Speaker 2: past year when the government shut down in Washington, they 491 00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:13,080 Speaker 2: stopped funding SNAP, which is our food program here in 492 00:26:13,080 --> 00:26:15,080 Speaker 2: the United States. It was the first time I think 493 00:26:15,119 --> 00:26:18,680 Speaker 2: since the nineteen sixties that there was no funding going out. 494 00:26:19,200 --> 00:26:23,080 Speaker 2: We had one hundred and twelve thousand San Franciscans that 495 00:26:23,119 --> 00:26:25,080 Speaker 2: we're going to go without food. 496 00:26:25,600 --> 00:26:27,840 Speaker 3: We alongside of my colleagues on. 497 00:26:27,760 --> 00:26:30,160 Speaker 2: The Board of Supervisors, which is our city council here, 498 00:26:30,680 --> 00:26:33,920 Speaker 2: we sprung into action from the day we said go 499 00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:37,600 Speaker 2: to the day we got one hundred and twelve thousand 500 00:26:37,600 --> 00:26:45,320 Speaker 2: people basically benefits. We sent them cards that would give 501 00:26:45,400 --> 00:26:48,880 Speaker 2: them access to food or money for food to replace 502 00:26:48,920 --> 00:26:51,920 Speaker 2: what they were losing from the federal government. We raised 503 00:26:51,960 --> 00:26:56,080 Speaker 2: eighteen million dollars, nine from city government, nine from philanthropy. 504 00:26:56,440 --> 00:26:59,239 Speaker 2: That eighteen million dollars covered food for the month of 505 00:26:59,280 --> 00:27:02,399 Speaker 2: November for one hundred and twelve thousand San Francisco. So 506 00:27:02,440 --> 00:27:05,640 Speaker 2: when people say, well, government can't do this, can't do that. 507 00:27:05,960 --> 00:27:09,679 Speaker 2: In seven days, we made that happen. And that's because 508 00:27:09,720 --> 00:27:12,840 Speaker 2: of the people at the Board of Supervisors. It was 509 00:27:12,920 --> 00:27:16,520 Speaker 2: because of some great private philanthropy, and it was because 510 00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:20,840 Speaker 2: our city showed its true values, and that is that 511 00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:23,439 Speaker 2: we look out for our community. We look out for 512 00:27:23,480 --> 00:27:26,639 Speaker 2: our immigrants, We look out for those that are struggling 513 00:27:26,680 --> 00:27:29,160 Speaker 2: in a city that we have a lot of work 514 00:27:29,200 --> 00:27:32,679 Speaker 2: to do. In terms of affordability, it is an incredibly 515 00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:37,280 Speaker 2: expensive city to live in. And so I was proud 516 00:27:37,320 --> 00:27:37,760 Speaker 2: of that moment. 517 00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:41,240 Speaker 1: I should be. I call you an athlete, and also 518 00:27:41,320 --> 00:27:44,280 Speaker 1: you have a job with which is athletics. You have 519 00:27:44,359 --> 00:27:47,119 Speaker 1: to train yourself and teach how to eat. Do you 520 00:27:47,160 --> 00:27:49,280 Speaker 1: think about your efficiency in terms of. 521 00:27:49,800 --> 00:27:51,760 Speaker 3: It's funny that you say that I do. I don't. 522 00:27:52,119 --> 00:27:55,680 Speaker 2: I try to do that intermittent thing. 523 00:27:55,800 --> 00:27:57,640 Speaker 3: I don't eat till twelve Okay, let's. 524 00:27:57,480 --> 00:27:59,440 Speaker 1: Talk about your day. You wake up this morning, what 525 00:28:00,320 --> 00:28:01,040 Speaker 1: did you have? A brick? 526 00:28:01,160 --> 00:28:05,600 Speaker 2: I work out, No, I coffee and a peloton, and 527 00:28:06,359 --> 00:28:08,240 Speaker 2: then I take my son to school every day and 528 00:28:08,280 --> 00:28:13,480 Speaker 2: then I'm in this office after probably walking the streets 529 00:28:13,480 --> 00:28:15,879 Speaker 2: talking to people that are out on the streets. 530 00:28:16,400 --> 00:28:19,840 Speaker 3: And then all staff meeting. 531 00:28:19,920 --> 00:28:21,920 Speaker 2: We have an all staff meeting at nine am every 532 00:28:21,920 --> 00:28:22,439 Speaker 2: time Tuesday. 533 00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:23,160 Speaker 1: We'll come to that. 534 00:28:23,760 --> 00:28:26,760 Speaker 2: Well, it's the large agency department heads, so about twenty 535 00:28:26,800 --> 00:28:29,040 Speaker 2: department heads come. We do it once a week. It's 536 00:28:29,080 --> 00:28:31,399 Speaker 2: something that we knew we put in place when I 537 00:28:31,440 --> 00:28:34,119 Speaker 2: came in office. These I want these department heads around 538 00:28:34,160 --> 00:28:36,880 Speaker 2: the table, looking each other in the eye, having discussions, 539 00:28:37,800 --> 00:28:40,680 Speaker 2: at least seeing each other in person once a week 540 00:28:41,040 --> 00:28:44,640 Speaker 2: because they need to collaborate and communicate, and they're doing 541 00:28:44,880 --> 00:28:48,520 Speaker 2: that well in this meeting. Helps so and here you know, 542 00:28:48,640 --> 00:28:49,800 Speaker 2: eight thirty eight forty five. 543 00:28:49,920 --> 00:28:52,680 Speaker 1: So what happens at lunchtime for you? Do you have lunch? 544 00:28:52,720 --> 00:28:54,080 Speaker 3: Fernando who's watching this? 545 00:28:54,480 --> 00:28:58,680 Speaker 2: Fernando helps guide me. We try to be healthy. We 546 00:28:58,760 --> 00:29:01,640 Speaker 2: try a lot of new spots. Yeah, there was a 547 00:29:01,720 --> 00:29:05,520 Speaker 2: gyro place that we went to. Uh, there's a Vietnamese 548 00:29:05,560 --> 00:29:07,760 Speaker 2: place up in the Tenderloine that I love that I 549 00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:12,680 Speaker 2: go to Golden Logos, Golden Lotus, and I go to 550 00:29:12,680 --> 00:29:16,680 Speaker 2: Hayes Valley, and I go to Souvla, I go to 551 00:29:17,360 --> 00:29:20,680 Speaker 2: We Got great coffee spots that I go to in Hayes. 552 00:29:21,120 --> 00:29:24,600 Speaker 1: So and what about the formality of the office. Do 553 00:29:24,640 --> 00:29:28,120 Speaker 1: you do stay dinners or do you do mayorial lunches 554 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:30,880 Speaker 1: or do you need to do all that or not? 555 00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:34,080 Speaker 2: I don't That's not for me. I mean, I think 556 00:29:34,200 --> 00:29:36,160 Speaker 2: the most formal thing I do every day is I 557 00:29:36,200 --> 00:29:38,120 Speaker 2: wear a suit and tie. I think it's I think 558 00:29:38,160 --> 00:29:41,200 Speaker 2: it's important. But I'm out walking the streets. 559 00:29:41,240 --> 00:29:44,640 Speaker 3: I don't. I like. I don't like sitting behind my desk. 560 00:29:44,680 --> 00:29:48,840 Speaker 2: I like being out walking, talking to people, listening to people. 561 00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:03,200 Speaker 1: We've had visits in London, We've had visits now in 562 00:30:03,280 --> 00:30:05,920 Speaker 1: San Francisco. We've been together in different places, but one 563 00:30:05,960 --> 00:30:09,200 Speaker 1: of my memories is being with you in Liguria. We 564 00:30:09,200 --> 00:30:14,280 Speaker 1: were just near Santa Margarita. Tayo was there. We swam, 565 00:30:14,440 --> 00:30:17,120 Speaker 1: we walked, and of course we ate. And I think 566 00:30:17,360 --> 00:30:19,280 Speaker 1: when I think of Liguria, we all think of the 567 00:30:19,360 --> 00:30:21,880 Speaker 1: basil that grows there on the slopes. Because you have 568 00:30:21,960 --> 00:30:24,840 Speaker 1: the very hot sun. You have the Mediterranean, you have 569 00:30:24,880 --> 00:30:29,800 Speaker 1: the heat, and so for your recipe, we thought that 570 00:30:29,880 --> 00:30:32,640 Speaker 1: you might like to read a recipe from Liguria from 571 00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:36,080 Speaker 1: a memory that we spent together for a pasta, which 572 00:30:36,120 --> 00:30:40,240 Speaker 1: is tagu telly with lemon cream and basil. So you 573 00:30:40,280 --> 00:30:42,520 Speaker 1: could just read it straight, or you can read it anyway. 574 00:30:42,560 --> 00:30:47,920 Speaker 2: You like tagletael with lemon cream and basil. One and 575 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:53,080 Speaker 2: one quarter cups heavy cream, one stick, eight table spoons 576 00:30:53,120 --> 00:30:59,480 Speaker 2: butter softened. This is sounding very healthy already. Yeah, zest 577 00:30:59,600 --> 00:31:03,160 Speaker 2: and juice of three organic lemons. Tea loves lemons, so 578 00:31:03,200 --> 00:31:09,760 Speaker 2: that's good. Twelve ounces egg tagliatel, three tablespoons roughly chopped basil, 579 00:31:10,560 --> 00:31:14,160 Speaker 2: four ounces of parmesan my favorite. It's got to be 580 00:31:14,240 --> 00:31:18,040 Speaker 2: finely grated, and then you have to gently heat the cream. 581 00:31:18,280 --> 00:31:22,080 Speaker 2: And when it's warm, Ruthie, no, this is important. Add 582 00:31:22,080 --> 00:31:26,880 Speaker 2: butter and lemon, juice and zest, stir to combine and 583 00:31:26,960 --> 00:31:29,640 Speaker 2: then remove from the heat. I'm really happy that I 584 00:31:29,680 --> 00:31:32,600 Speaker 2: am telling one of the best chefs in the world this. 585 00:31:33,640 --> 00:31:37,719 Speaker 2: Cook the taglitael in boiling salted water until al dente, 586 00:31:38,800 --> 00:31:43,240 Speaker 2: drain and stir into the warm cream, seasoning with sea 587 00:31:43,320 --> 00:31:48,080 Speaker 2: salt and black pepper, add half the basil and toss well, 588 00:31:48,800 --> 00:31:51,680 Speaker 2: and then you serve with the parmesan and the remainder 589 00:31:51,840 --> 00:31:54,040 Speaker 2: of the basil sprinkled over. 590 00:31:54,680 --> 00:31:56,600 Speaker 3: Sounds delicious next time. 591 00:31:56,720 --> 00:32:00,520 Speaker 1: Living in Europe, living in France, as I did for years, 592 00:32:00,560 --> 00:32:03,440 Speaker 1: what you really see is the emergence and the excitement 593 00:32:03,600 --> 00:32:07,400 Speaker 1: of cities, and with mayors who are really almost a 594 00:32:07,520 --> 00:32:11,480 Speaker 1: nation state, who are making policies, were able to facilitate change. 595 00:32:11,520 --> 00:32:14,320 Speaker 1: We were able to move forward and be a leadership 596 00:32:14,600 --> 00:32:17,760 Speaker 1: in you know what the city means, and that is 597 00:32:17,840 --> 00:32:18,800 Speaker 1: so you. 598 00:32:18,720 --> 00:32:22,320 Speaker 2: Know, I think the job of mayors the best job 599 00:32:22,360 --> 00:32:28,400 Speaker 2: in politics. I did hear President Obama once say that 600 00:32:28,400 --> 00:32:33,440 Speaker 2: that being mayor is the second artist job in politics, 601 00:32:33,520 --> 00:32:35,680 Speaker 2: next to I think he was referring to being president 602 00:32:35,720 --> 00:32:37,800 Speaker 2: of the United States. But it's all I think it's 603 00:32:37,840 --> 00:32:40,640 Speaker 2: the best job because here you get to walk the streets. 604 00:32:40,760 --> 00:32:44,680 Speaker 2: You actually get to see your policies in action, whether 605 00:32:44,760 --> 00:32:47,120 Speaker 2: they're working or whether they're not working. 606 00:32:48,160 --> 00:32:50,680 Speaker 3: You also you get a poll every day. 607 00:32:51,080 --> 00:32:53,680 Speaker 2: You know how people are feeling about you and how 608 00:32:53,680 --> 00:32:57,240 Speaker 2: they're feeling about the city. And that's why you got 609 00:32:57,240 --> 00:33:00,400 Speaker 2: to get out and walk the streets and go the 610 00:33:00,440 --> 00:33:03,680 Speaker 2: great restaurants and go to the great art galleries and 611 00:33:03,760 --> 00:33:06,400 Speaker 2: museums and really kind of. 612 00:33:06,520 --> 00:33:07,080 Speaker 3: Soak it in. 613 00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:10,920 Speaker 2: And yeah, we were the ones on the ground. I 614 00:33:10,920 --> 00:33:13,520 Speaker 2: mean I talked to mayors across the state and across 615 00:33:13,520 --> 00:33:18,320 Speaker 2: the country and yeah, the action is happening in our 616 00:33:18,360 --> 00:33:20,760 Speaker 2: cities and I love it. 617 00:33:21,000 --> 00:33:23,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think it's been for me. The last twenty 618 00:33:23,280 --> 00:33:26,520 Speaker 1: four hours has been really inspiring to come to a 619 00:33:26,560 --> 00:33:29,960 Speaker 1: city that I know about, have so many friends here. 620 00:33:30,040 --> 00:33:34,080 Speaker 1: I've seen the effect you've had on the world, you know, 621 00:33:35,000 --> 00:33:40,240 Speaker 1: the effect on the city, And I think that leaving here, 622 00:33:40,400 --> 00:33:43,680 Speaker 1: I'm coming away with something which is I think a 623 00:33:43,760 --> 00:33:45,360 Speaker 1: real test of a city, which is you want to 624 00:33:45,360 --> 00:33:47,880 Speaker 1: come back? You really soon? You want I want to 625 00:33:47,880 --> 00:33:48,200 Speaker 1: come back? 626 00:33:48,320 --> 00:33:52,120 Speaker 3: Andrew back soon? Yeah, everybody we are. 627 00:33:52,160 --> 00:33:55,000 Speaker 2: And I think actually, someone said, Ruthie, you should open 628 00:33:55,040 --> 00:33:55,560 Speaker 2: a restaurant. 629 00:33:55,640 --> 00:33:58,320 Speaker 1: Yeah. Maybe now that I know that we have, we 630 00:33:58,320 --> 00:34:02,560 Speaker 1: can do that. Yeah, called Ruthie and Daniels. How about 631 00:34:02,560 --> 00:34:05,240 Speaker 1: that a little bit maybe when I'm out of the office, 632 00:34:06,360 --> 00:34:12,520 Speaker 1: a little lower. If we think of restaurants as places 633 00:34:12,520 --> 00:34:17,440 Speaker 1: as of drama, we think of it comparing it to theater, 634 00:34:17,640 --> 00:34:23,120 Speaker 1: compare performance to family, to a city and a city 635 00:34:23,160 --> 00:34:25,839 Speaker 1: hall and how we need them. And we started out 636 00:34:25,880 --> 00:34:30,040 Speaker 1: by saying, but they contribute to a city. We also 637 00:34:30,120 --> 00:34:34,640 Speaker 1: know that food is conversation, food is sustaining hunger. Food 638 00:34:34,680 --> 00:34:37,920 Speaker 1: is a judgment of white society treats its citizens. And 639 00:34:37,960 --> 00:34:41,359 Speaker 1: it also is comfort. And so I'd say, Daniel May, 640 00:34:42,640 --> 00:34:46,640 Speaker 1: what would be food you'd go to for comfort Brita. 641 00:34:47,000 --> 00:34:48,120 Speaker 3: I mean it's it's you. 642 00:34:48,600 --> 00:34:51,680 Speaker 2: I mean, you didn't even have to That's where I go. 643 00:34:51,800 --> 00:34:59,120 Speaker 2: I grew up on him. Gordo's tak Area Lavaka Berria 644 00:34:59,280 --> 00:35:01,960 Speaker 2: is a new favor rid of mine. But when I 645 00:35:02,280 --> 00:35:06,879 Speaker 2: like the family, Sorry, but we do order out, and 646 00:35:06,920 --> 00:35:10,399 Speaker 2: we order We order burritos more than anything else, and 647 00:35:10,440 --> 00:35:14,239 Speaker 2: it just there's just this, it's all right there. You 648 00:35:14,400 --> 00:35:18,680 Speaker 2: take one bite and you get you get it all and. 649 00:35:18,000 --> 00:35:21,240 Speaker 3: And it feels like San Francisco to me. It feels 650 00:35:21,280 --> 00:35:21,719 Speaker 3: like I. 651 00:35:22,239 --> 00:35:25,440 Speaker 2: Know what I'm getting and it's going to be excellent. 652 00:35:25,560 --> 00:35:28,400 Speaker 2: And so then I'm going burrito an expert. 653 00:35:28,520 --> 00:35:30,560 Speaker 1: I'm leaving tomorrow morning. But the next time I come, 654 00:35:30,680 --> 00:35:31,720 Speaker 1: can we go and have a burrito. 655 00:35:33,360 --> 00:35:35,640 Speaker 2: I'll take you today, Let's do it. 656 00:35:38,200 --> 00:35:41,480 Speaker 5: Ruthie's Table four was produced by Alex Boo Robbie Hamilton 657 00:35:41,680 --> 00:35:45,160 Speaker 5: and Zad Rogers with Andrew Sang and Bella Selini. This 658 00:35:45,200 --> 00:35:50,839 Speaker 5: has been an atomized production for iHeartMedia. 659 00:35:51,400 --> 00:35:55,439 Speaker 1: Ruthie's Table four is proud to support Leukemia UK. Their 660 00:35:55,480 --> 00:35:59,240 Speaker 1: Cartwell for a Cure campaign raises funds for vital research 661 00:35:59,719 --> 00:36:03,960 Speaker 1: and more effective and kinder treatments for a cute Mylloyd leukemia. 662 00:36:04,560 --> 00:36:08,400 Speaker 1: Please donate and to do so search cartwheel or a 663 00:36:08,520 --> 00:36:08,800 Speaker 1: Cure